Interchangeable card sign



12, 1929. H. E. PEASE INTERCHANGEABLE CARD SIGN Filed Feb Patented Nov. 12, 1929 HENRY ELTON PEASE, F cHroAGo, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO srannann' snowman snnvron, Inc, on onroneo, rumors, A oonronarron on rumors INTEBGI-IANGEABLE CARD SIGN Application filed ar-m 27, 1929. Serial no. 343,069.

This invention relates to interchangeable card signs of a type adapted for merchandismg use.

The general object of the invention is the provision of a simple and economical interchangeable card sign Wh1ch may be used by v merchants to advertise a wide variety of commodities and afford a varied selection of prlce markings and lnformative or aCl'V8I't1S ing matter for dlsplay in such association with the names of the various commodities that the composite sign will have the appear ance of a unitary show card. The purpose is to provide the dealer with an assortment of display cards so related that theymay be arranged to afford a wide variety of displays, each of which will have the-appearance of'a specially prepared show card. v

Since the various cards are'i tended for re peated use, the invention has as an object also the provision'of' a display device of the sort specified which will be effective to protect and conceal portions of the cards, such as the edges, which are likely to become worn with repeated use and handling;

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out orindicated hereinafter or .will become apparent upon an understanding of the in vention'or its employment in use.

In the accompanying drawing forming part ofthis specification is shown an embodiment of the invention, it being understood the same is presented by way of e'ziamp'le of one of the various forms which the" invention may take.

In the drawing Y- Fig; 1 is a front elevation of the sign as assembled for display; v v Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same;

Fig. 3 is a viewof one side of one of the commodity cards;

" Fig. 4 is a V18'W of one side: of- -tl'1eprice' cards; and i Fig. 5 is a view or one side oftHe-supp1ementary cards. i v The nature of the invention and of its employment will be most quickly ascertained by consideration of the example shown in the drawing. I provide a card vholder in the nature a? a frameichaving gracved side and bottom members and a slotted top member. The Width of these grooves and slots is such as to accommodate three cards 11, 12 and 14 and maintain them in close face contact with one another. The card 11 I will designate, for purposes of distinction, the commodity card, the card 12 the supplementary card and the card 14 the price card. The dealer will be supplied with such number of the commodity cards, to meet his requirements. Each side of each commodity card is apportioned by transverse stripes or bands 15 into three panels, the in; termediate panel preferably being of a different color from the upper andlower panels,

and the stripes or bands being of a color-con trasting with both. The height and arrange ment of these p anels is such that the cornmodity panels are of equal heightand the intermediate panel is of considerably less height and extendsfor equal distances on opposite sides of the transverse median line of the card; On each of the four commodityfpanel's thus afiorde'd by each card is suitably lettered the name of -some commodity handled by the dealer, the top of the lettering in each instance 7 being toward theproximate end of the card. In the half of each of the intermediate panel's adjacent therespective commoditypanels is displayed an informative or advertising legend appropriate to'or relating to the commodity named in panel.

informative or advertising matter.

- Each of the price cards 14 is approximately one-half the height of the commodity'cards, and on each side bears a price'designation;

Also, along its upper edge oneach side, the v, I price card is finished with a stripe or band 16 and color to the frame member, the assembled sign will dis play in its upper portion the commodity name which appears in the upper part of the 10o GOIDIII GClityCQLiQBMd below. this the upper all adapted to fit the frame, as

the adjacent commodity Thus each commodity card bears the names offour commodities with appurtenant name of the commodity,

V nation,

half of the intermediate and differently colored panel of the commodity card With the legend which appears thereon, and below this the price designation which appears on the price card, the intermediate diiferently colored panel being lined at the top by the stripe 15 and at the bottom by the stripe 16 of the price card. These stripes being of similar color, and the strip 16 following the margin of -the price card, the assembled sign Will have the appearance of an integral card with a contrasting panel or middle, and all the markings displayed, viz, the the informative or advertising legend, and the price desigall being appropriately related. For example, if the dealer wishes to advertise cod liver oil at its regular price, say at one dollar, he will assemble the commodity card with the cod liver oil legend at the top and place the one dollar price card in front of it at thebottom. This Will leave exposed the advertising legendassociated with the cod liver oil name, so that, in the example illustrated, the display will read Cod liver oil prevents colds $1.00. On another occasion, as if he should desire to advertise cod liver oil at a reduced price, he may employ one of the supplementary cards 12. These cards are of a height not, less than the combined height of a commodity panel and the intermediate panel of'the commodity card, and are of acolor different from that of the commodity panel,preferably the same color as that of the intermediate panel, Along the upper and lower margins on each side, .thesupplementary card is finished with a stripe'or band 17, preferably corresponding in width and color to the stripes 15 and 16, Also at both ends on each side, the supplementary card is provided with legends which may be used in conjunction with various Commodities, the

'top of the lettering in each instance being toward the proximate edge of the card; Accordingly, if the dealer wishes to substitute in his display some legend for that associated with the particular commodity on the commodity card, he will insert the selected sup: plementary cardinto theframe between the commodity card and price card, with the selected expression at the topof the supple mentary card; with the result that in the assembled sign-the legend onthe supplementary cardwill appear in theplaceof that in the intermediate panel of thejcommodityv card, and the assembled sign will still have the appearanceof an integral card'with the'name of the commodity in the upper portion, the price in the lower portion, withintermediate panel of a different color displaying an appropriate legend. Thus, if the-dealer wishes to advertise cod liver oil at areduced price, he may employ the supplementary card as above described to show a legend such-as This week only or regular $1.00 size below the commodity name and over the reduced price designation shown on the price card, so that the display will read, for example, Cod liver oil regular $1.00 size 93. a

In this fashion the dealer isafl'orded a great variety of displays adapted to the advertising of his various commodities at various 7 prices and with a wide selection of special information, each selective display having the j appearance of an integral display card such as might have been prepared specially for the occasion,yet the great variety of possible permutations and combinations requiring rela- I portion 18 adapted to fit in the frame slotsbehind the upper end of the commodity card, and a laterally extending portion adapted to rest on the top of the frame, whereby the display portion is maintained in desired association with the rest of the sign.

- What I claim is: v

1. An interchangeable card ing,in combination, bers slotted to receive a plurality of cards and maintain them in contact face to face, a comsign comprismodity card subdividedby transverse stripes into commodity panels of equal height at its ends and an intermediate'panel,- price card of approximately one-half the height of the commodity card and bearing dilferent price indicia on its opposite sides and provided along its upper margin with a stripe corresponding to those on the commodity card, and

suspended against shelves or the like, they are likely to have their.

a frame having its memin V a supplementary cardprovided along its up- I per and lower margins with, stripes corre-' sponding to those on the other cards and with legends adjacent to said stripes, saidsupplementary card being ofa heightnot less than the aggregate height of the intermediate panel and a commodity panel of the commodity card, and all ,of the'cards being of suitable width to fit into the grooved frame.

An interchangeable card as specified in claim 1 and wherein the supplemen tary card and the intermediate panel ofthe commodity card are of acolor different from that ofthe body of the other cards and the stripes are of a color contrasting with the body colors of the other cards.

' 3. An interchangeable card'sign comprisingfa commodity card subdivided into an in panel bearing respective legends in association With the respective commodity panels,,a supplementary card of a height corresponding to the aggregate height of the intermediate panel and a commodity panel and bearing legends adjacent its top and bottom edges, a price card bearing a price legend and of a height approXimately'one-half that of the commodity card, the intermediate panel being delineated at top and bottom by transverse stripes and the top margin of the price card and the top and bottom margins of the supplementary card being edged with corresponding stripes, and a support for holding the cards face to face in assembled relationship to display legends thereon one above another.

4. An interchangeable card sign as specified in claim 1, and including an additional demountable card having a portion adapted to fit in the frame grooves behind the upper portion of the commodity card and portions extending laterally therefrom adapted to rest on the top of the frame, to sustain said additional card in approximately the same plane as the other cards.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

H. ELTON PEASE 

